Speedometer-alarm.



. A. PIGKEN.

SPEEDOMETER ALARM. "APPLIGATI'ON FILED Ammo, 1913.

1,104,704. Patented July 21,1914.

2 SHEBTSSHEFT 1.

.A Picker? INVENTOR WITNESSES V TTORNEY A. PIGKEN. SPEEDOMETER- ALARM.

APPLICATION FILED APR.10.1913.

Patented July 21', 1914.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY cmirsn swarms rartnnreermn.

snorrrnntgo rroxniv, or uoaronx, VIRGINIA, essrenon or one-naps T0 r snnnnlqx.

WILLIAM CURB, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA,

SPEEIJOMETER-ALARM.

'citizenof the United States, residing at N orfolk, inthe county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Speedometer-Alarm, of which the following is aspecitication,

This invention has reference to improvements in speedometer alarms, and its object isto, provides device for use especially on automobiles, whereby an audible alarm is given when a predeterminedmaximum speed is exceeded.-

Thepresent invention is designed to be attached to an. automobile which may be taken as typical of any moving structure, whether it be a-vehicle or a piece of ma chinery where it is desirable that a certain maximum speed should not be exceeded.

There is provided a suitable casing containing speed responsive mechanism. which is arranged to actuate an alarm, but such alarm is locked against actuation until the predetermined maximum speed is reached, when the speed responsive devices cause the releaseof .-the alarm to actuation. Since it is quite customary to. have different allowable maximum speeds in different places, provito respond to any one of a number of chosen speeds, while the visible indication of the maximumspeed is thenlocked in the proper position, the means whereby the maximum speedlindicator maybe released for resetting being accessible exterior to the casing provided for protecting the working parts of the. apparatus. Moreover, PI'OVISIOII is made for preventing tampering with the.

speed setting and indicating devices while,

the vehicle or other moving mechanism-is in motion, the protectingdevlce also serving as a means for indicating .toan observer the fact thutthe stru-ctureis 1n working condition.

.Fiinceon an, automobile it is desirable to have lvisible evidence of the actual speed, cithermaximum or less at which the vehicle is trareling,.an ordinary speedometer may be provided. in a position permitting its being read by the operator, such speedometer being driven by the driving mechanism for the speed. responsive device.

The invention will be best understood from a considesation of the following detailed de- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 10, 1913. Serial N 0. 760,803.

scription, taken inconnection .with. the ac- Patented July 21, 19514,

companymg drawings forming 8. art of this specification, with-the furthen un erstanding that while the drawings show-a practical embodiment of the invention, the latter-is not confined to any strictconformity with the showingofthe drawings but maybe changed and modifiedso long as such changes and modifications mark no material departure from the. salient features of the invention.

In thedrawingszeFigure 1 is aperspective view of a device embodying thepresent invention. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of F 1g. 1 with some mechanism of the maximum speed indicating devices and the alarmactuatmg mechani sm with the casing and supportsomitted; Fig. 4 1s a face view-of a CllSk forming-partof the improved deviceand servin -tofin'dijcate visibly the maximum speed or which the device is set. Fig. 5 is a-detail section'- parts shown in elevaj 131011. F 1g. 3 is a perspective view of the;

Referring to the drawings there is-shown a casing 1 designed to inelose and 'protect certain mechanisms but it will be understood that this casing may be replaced by any protective structure and is only employedfW-hhre the device is in the nature of ,an'attachment to be applied to or removed "from the automobile or other machine, while when.the operating mechanism of the invention is made a permanent part of a structure, the casing 1 need not be.employed, but the other parts may be built in to the structure the predetermined maximum speed of which; is to be indicated both audibly and "visibly.

I Mounted in the casing '1, or in the"ab+ sence of the casin is a main shaft 2- avingbearingsfihear in any I other support,

ble' power transmitting member 4 may be secured for transmitting motion fromflhe',

moving parts of the. machine, the maximum speed of which .it is desired to indicate, \Vhere the shaftfl is suitably lqcated'the flexible connection 4 may be omitted and the shaftfl may be otherwise connected't-o the moving parts.

Fixed to opposite sides of the shaft 2 at a ing thereonfor the plate 10 and disk 11. A

spring 13 connected at one end to one of the plates?) and at the other end to the plate serves to hold the plate 10 in a position which will cause the'weighted' ends 7 of the levers 6 to lie against the shaft 2 on opposite sides thereof, but on a rotation of the shaft 2 at a suitable speed centrifugal force acting on the weights 7 will tend to cause these weights to move outwardly away from the shaft about the pivots of the levers 6 and thereby move the plate 10 lengthwise ofthe shaft in a direction to extend the spring 13. The structure just described as mounted on the shaft 2 is in effect a centrifugal governor and need not of necessity follow the form described, but may be otherwise constructed, forany structure which will become actively responsive to increase in speed to varying extents will answer the purposes of the present invention.

It is not necessary that the shaft 2, should have any particular position, but usually it is placed upright and since this is a convenient position and is the one shown in the drawings the shaft 2 will be considered as an upright shaft in order to locate the relative positions of other parts, but the terms of position will, of course, vary in accordance with the actual position of the shaft 2.

With this understanding there is secured to the shaft 2 at a distance below the disk 11 a i bevel gear wheel 14 near the bottom of the casing 1, and this bevel gear wheel is in mesh with another bevel gear wheel 15 connected by a motion transmitting'shaft 16 to p is only associated with the other structures of the present invention to provide visible means within the view of an operator of the automobile for lndicating the actual speed zit which the vehicle is traveling and not simply giving evidence of a predetermined maximum speed. Since the shaft 2 must of necessity be coupled to some moving part of the vehicle the same shaft may be employed for actuating the speedometer 17, thus avoiding duplication. of mechanism; Above the gear wheel 14 is a.co1l ar,e18 fast to the shaft 2 and on the said shaft-immediately above the collar 18 is a ratchet wheel '19 having a hub 20 engaged by one end 21 of a sleeve 22 mounted on the shaft 2 to have a limited longitudinal movement thereon and constrained to rotate with the shaft by a pin 23 projecting from the shaft through a longitudinal slot 24 in one end of the sleeve 22.- A spring 25 at one end engaging the pin 23 and at the other end carried by the sleeve 22 causes the end 21 of the sleeve 22 to bear frictionally upon the hub 20 and force the ratchet wheel 19 into frictional engagement with the collar 18, so that the ratchet wheel 19 is constrained to rotate with the shaft 2, but if a holding force be applied to the ratchet wheel 19 sutlicient to overcome the resistance of the frictional engagement, the ratchet wheel 19 will remain quiescent while the shaft 2 and other parts carried thereby rotate.

Rising from the bottom of the casing 1 or mounted on any suitable support is a bracket 26 carrying an'upright arbor 27 to which is made fast an escapement anchor 28 in position to be engaged by the teeth of the ratchet wheel 19, which teeth are similar to those of the ordinary toothed wheel used in alarm mechanism of clocks. The arbor 27 has fast thereto an arm 29 having at the free end a hammer head 30 in position to strike a or head 30 will strike a. succession of blows on the bell 31, thus producing an audible alarm. The arbor 29 also carries another arm 32 projecting from the arbor in a direction opposite from that-of the arm 29, and both arms may be in the form of a rod or wire traversin the arm 29 and made fast thereto and projecting therefrom in opposite directions. Thcse are, however, structural details which may be varied within wide limits.

Fast to the inner wall of the casing 1 or to any other suitable support is an elongated plate 33 provided at suitably spaced points with brackets 34 constituting bearingsfor a slidable bar 35 projecting at each end beyond the respective brackets 34 and between these brackets having-a lateral offset or lug 36 reaching into close relation to the plate 33 for a purpose to be described. The bar 35 extends through the lower bracket 34 for an appropriate distance and there has fast to it one end of a spring 37, the other end of which may be secured to any fixed point, as, for-instance, the interior of the casing 1 where the latter is employed. The spring 37 tends at all times to move the bar in one direction whichvinthe structure illustrated is downward.

and that end of the lever all remote from the end connected to the hill 88 carries linger piece 43 which may rise from the lever 41, the latter being substantially horizontal in the structure shown and the parts are so arranged that this finger or push piece 43 extends through an opening 44 in the top of the casing .1 to be there accessible to an operator. Moreover, the push piece 43' is so related to the shafi 2 as to be quite close to this shaft which is of: at length to rise above the top of the casing 1 or other cover" ing member and there has fast to it u linger 4l5 extending lateraly for a su'iiicient di tzince to move over the top of the push piece 44 .at each revolution of the'shaft 2.,

The bar between the brackets d4 carries an arm 46 projecting from the bar in a direction opposite from. the plate 33 substantially perpendicular to the length of,

the bar 35. This arm carries a reel: lever 47 at a point between the ends of tlre'lever said lever being connected to the arm 46 by a pivot pin ,18. That end of the lever 4-? remote from the bar 85 is provided with an upturned toe 49 within the range of movement of the disk 11 under the action of the levers 6 of the governor under conditions to be-described.

Fast to the inner wall or the casing l, or to any other fixed support, is a bracket 50 at a lower point than the plate 33, and in Y position to be traversed by s rod pivoted at the upper end to that end of the lever l? remote from the toe 49, the connection being by'means of :1V pivot pin 52. he rod 51 is reduced in Width as shown at 53, where traversing the bracket 50 and thereby forms a shoulder 54 to engage the upper of the bracket 50, thus limiting the move ment of the rod 51 in one direction, which direction of movement is caused by e spring 55 fast at one end to the reduced end of the rod 51 and at the other end to some listed structure, such as the casing 1. The arm 32 is of such length and so related to the rod 51 that when this rod has its shoulder 5; in engagement with the bracket 50 such portion of the rod 51 isin the path of the arm 32 in a manner to prevent rocking of the anchor 28, but when the rod 51 is lifted so as to remove the shoulder 54 from the bracket 50 for an appropriate distance,

which maybe, little more than the thicl ness of the arm 32, such arm isno longer held by the rod 51 and the anchor 28 will this movement l therefore rock vibrate under the impulse of the ratchet Wheel 19.

Trot er-sing the olute at :2 point between in arbor 56 having a suitthe brackets 34 able bearing in re corresponding Wall of the casing 1 through which well the arbor 56 projects slthougln of course, in the ab sence of the casing l thi arbor will have suitable bearing in fixed structure At the end of the arbor 56 interior to the plate there mode is, u cam 57 show sepsrzri'ely in 6 cam having com faces 58, 59 (3G and in the particular arrangement shown, but it will be understood thet it nioy have more four fees or less thun four since as will presently appear, the faces d termine the speeds which mark the mar' uni speeds at which the alarm will sound. That end the arbor 56 remote from the Citlll carries a disk 52 exterior to the ,but niclosed by '1 s subcosing or shield 63 which may be made in st to the outcr time of the corresponding on of the casino" 1., or to any other ep- 1 l'likili h; d structure, and this subcss.

is provided with a sight openin which may desired be cover-ed by a t parent plate of 5 r or celluloid or ct er suitable permitting s View of corresponding face the disk 62 one]; of the sight opening. The disk 69, has produccd upon the visible through the sight opening indications which may be b in the form of numerals designating men'- muni speeds, and these speed indications ma correspond in munbe' and position to the several faces of the earn 57. At approprints points about the edge of the disk: :e notches 6'? in position to he engaged by e linger G8 projecting from the link 38, so that es this link is moved lengthwise in one rection the linger will lodge in on epmc print/c notch 67 in its path and mm the other direction the finger 68 will removed from tie notch. in which csse the disk (52 may be rotate to soother indication (56 at the sight 0 g facilitated by ing the disk 32 wi'h c milled edge 59, while the sub-casing may have a cutaway nor tion through which it nert of the 211i edge is accessible to the .llllgfil of an operator.

The subcesing 63 may be made removable from the casing 1 by on and screws '72, or in any other eppropr msnner,'ai1d the 51 may be secures to the arbor 56 bye scren 73 so as also tr l e readily removable therefrom to porn change of disks 62 should there be a, change in permissible maximum speeds either in the locality Where the vehicle is being employed, or where the vehicle is transported to some other locality having diii'lent speed regu- The lug 36 is so related to the cam 57 as to engage some one of the faces 58 to 61 thereof in accordance with the rotative position of the disk 62, and as the faces of the cam are at different distances from the axis of the cam the bar 35 will be held in different positions of longitudinal adjustment, these different movements being participated in by the arm 46 and lever 47 and as the lever 47 is pivoted to the arm 46 andis normally constrained by the rod 51 and spring 55 the toe 49 will be adjusted into different relative distances from the disk 11, considering the latter as quiescent, in accordance with the difierent adjustment of the can! 57. When it is desired to change the position of the disk 62 the push piece 43 is actuated in a'direction to move the link 38 to lift the finger 68 fromthe notch 67 it may then engage. This movement of the link 38 causes a corresponding movement of the bar 35 and the lug 36 is carried away from the cam 57. The disk 62 is now free to be rotated and this may be done by engaging the milled edge 69 where projectim through the cut away portion 70 of the su hcasing or shield 63. the operator movin the disk until the desired numeral (36 is visi le at the sight opening 64. Now on releasing the push piece 43 the spring 37 acts to move the bar 35 and link 38 in a direction to carry the lug 36 into engagement with the cam face in its path and the finger 68 into the notch 67 in its path, the push piece a3 being at the same time projected to a commensurate distance above the top of the casing 1, but always below the path of the finger 45. Under the circumstances described the shoulder 54 is in engagement with the bracket 50 and consequently the rod 51 is in the path of the arm 32.

Suppose, now, that the automobile is travsling, motionis imparted to the shaft 2 and the governor weights 7 will fly out in the usual manner, but if the speed be less than the indicated maximum, the disk 11 will not reach the toe -49 and the rod 51 being still in the path of the arm 32 the anchor '28 will hold the ratchet wheel 19 against rotation, so that the shaft 2 will rotate within the ratchet wheel without actuating the latter. If, now, the maximum speed l e reached, or perhaps just exceeded by a slight margin, the disk 11 is brought into engagement with the toe 49 and the lever 47 is rocked on its pivot 48 to an extent to move the rod 51 to carry the shoulder 5% away from the bracket 50, thus leaving a space for the passage of the free end of the arm 32, and this arm being no longer held against movement inturn no longer holds the anchor 28 so i thsit 'the frictional engagement of the sleeve anchor 28 which is imparted to the hammer 30 and the latter strikes the bell 31, thus giving a continuous alarm and thereby atl -acting the attention of observers to the vehicle, so that notice will be taken of the fact that the maximum speed indicated is being exceeded. The operator may also take notice of the alarm and slow down the machine.

If the bar be adjusted to carry the toe l9 closer to the quiescent position\of the disk 11, then the alarm will be sounded at a lower speed and if it be adjusted farther away from the disk 11 then the alarm will be sounded at a higher speed. As'soon as the speed is reduced the disk 11 is retracted and the spring will. return the rod 51 until the shoulder 54- engages the bracket 50 and the rod therefore comes into the path of the arm 82, thus stopping the sounding of the alarm. when the device has been properly set it is desirable that no mischievous or thoughtless person shall change the setting, especially when the machine is chine might unwittingly break a. speed ordinance because of the wrongful setting of the device due to tampering therewith. Such change of the setting of the device when. in motion is prevented by the finger 4-5 which passes over the push piece 13 once in each rotation of the-shaft 2 and as the rate of rotation of this shaft is quite rapid, it becomes impossible to tamper with the push piece 43 by reason of the sweeping across thereof of the finger lit the upper end of the shaft 2 above the finger 15 there may also be secured a display deviceor target 74, (see Fig. 1,) which will prominently dislaw, that the shaft 2 is in proper motion and thus serves to indicate that the device is in reliable operation, and dependence may therefore be had upon it for giving notice limit.

What is claimed is 1. In a device for the purpose described, a speed-responsive actuating member, an alarm mechanism in constant connection therewith, a lock for holding the alarm mechanism a ainst participation in a movement of t, e\; etuating member, and means controlled by the actuating member for remember to drive the alarm mechanism.

2. In a device for the purpose descr bed, a specd-resrsonsive actuatingmember, an alarm mechanism in constant frictional engagement wi h theactuating member, a lock for 'holding(the alarm mechanisn'i against participatioi in the movement of the actuating member, and means controllcil by the actuating mfcmber for releasing the alarm l mechanism from the lock to permit its pan running. for otherwise a driver of'the maclose to an observer, such as an. oflicer of the of the liability of ekceeding a certain speed leasing the lpck to permit the actuating ticipation in the movement of the actuating member due to the frictional engagement therewith. v

' 3. In a device for. the purpose described, arotatable shaft, a centrifugal governor carried thereby, an alarm mechanism having a member frictionally mounted on the shaft to be driven thereby,,a lock for holding the alarm mechanism against participation in the movement of the shaft, and Controlling 1 means for the lock in the path of the centrifugal' member for moving said lock to release the alarm mechanism to participation in the movement of the shaft for the actuation of the alarm. Y

4. In a device for the purpose described,

a rotatable shaft, a ratchet Wheel mounted thereon, means for holding the ratchet wheel in constant frlctlonal engagement with the shaft, an anchor escapement- 1n co- .active relation to the ratchet Wheel, means controlled by the anchor escapement for sounding" an alarm, a. centrifugal governor carried by the shaft, a lock related to the anchor escapement to hold the latter and through it the ratchetwheel against actuation A y the shaft, and means controlling the lock and in the path of the centrifugal governor to move the lock to releasing relation to the anchor esca 'ement.

5. Ina device "or the a rotatable shaft, a centrifugal governor carried thereby, an alarm mechanism in constant frictional engagement with the shaft, a lock for holding thealarm mechanism against movementhnd responsive to movements ofthe governor, an adjustable visual indicator of trolled by the adjustable indicator for setting the lock with respect to the governor to be actuated thereby at speeds corresponding to the indicated speeds;

6. In a device for the purpose described, a rotatable shaft,ja governor carried thereby, an. alarm, mechanismin constant frictional engagement with the shaft, a visual speed indicator adjustable to different positions to indicate the-different speeds, team member controlled by the speed indicator, a

slidable member in normal en agement with. the cam and adjustable thereby to different positions, a lock member for the alarm iecbanism, an actuator for the lock member in the path of the governor, and a carrier for the actuator controlled by the slidable member positioned by the cam.

7. In a devicefor the purpose described,

'a rotatable shaft, a centrifugal governor carried thereby, an alarm mechanism in constant frictional engagement with the shaft, a visual speed indicating device, a manually operable member, means between the manually operable member and visual speed indicating device for holding them in different operative relations, a lock for the alarm purpose described,-

in action, a push'piece for the manual setting of the device, and a finger carried by the shaft in posit-ion to sweep over the push piece speeds, and means'co'n-' governor for releasing the alarm to op- I oration at the speed determined by the/setting of the visual indicator.

8. In a device for the purpose described, an audible alarm, a visual indicator, means for actuating the alarm at a predetermined speed, means for setting the alarm actuating mechanism to respond at different pre determined speeds, and means responsive o the movement of the actuating means for preventing the setting of the device to respond to different speeds While in operation.

9. In a device for the purpose described, a" rotatable shaft, an audible alarm mechanism controlled thereby, means for setting the mechanism to respond to different speeds, said means being accessible for man ual operation, and means carried by the shaft and responsive to the rotative move ments thereof and positioned with respect to the manually operable means to prevent actuation of the latter while the parts are in action.

10. In a device for the purpose described, a rotatable shaft, an audible alarm mechanism controlled thereby, means for'setting the mechanism to respond to difierent speeds, said means being. accessible for and means carried by the v shaft and responsive to the-rotative move manual operation,

ments thereof and positioned with respect to the manually operable means to prevent actuation of the latter While the parts are said last named means comprising each rotati've movement of the shaft,

11. In a device for the purpose a rotatable shaft, a centrifugal governor carried thereby, an audible alarm mechanism including an anchor escapement and a ratchet Wheel, the latter being carried by the shaft, a friction sleeve on the shaft having means for urging it into constant frictional engagement \vlt-h the ratchet Wheel, a lock member, means carried by the anchor escapement and controlled by the lock member, and'means under the control of the governor for moving the lock member out of controlling relation to the anchorescapement.- I

12. In a device for. the purpose described, a rotatable shaft, a centrifugal governor mounted thereon, a ratchet wheel mounted on the shaft, means i for connecting the ratchet wheel frictionally with the shaft, an anchor escapement'controlled by theratchet Wheel, an alarm giving means controlled by the anchor escapement, an aim carried by the anchor escapem'ent, a slidable lock member movable into and out of engaging relainc described,

tion to the arm, and a member in the path of the centrifugal governor and connected u to the lock member for causing a movement of the latter out of the path of the arm on the anchor esc-apement when a predetermined speed is reached.

13. In a deviceof the character described, speed responsive means for causing the sounding of the alarm, and means for setting. the alarm means to respond to different speeds and to indicate visually the different speeds, comprising a disk having speed indicia thereon and corresponding notches at the margin of the disk, a cam responsive to rotative movements of the disk and having as many cam surfaces as there are speed indicia or notches, a slidable member enga ed by the cam, locking means for the dis having a finger for entering the notches in the disk manually operable means for moving the slida'ble member to unlock the disk and permit its rotation, at will, and means controlled by the slidable member and in position to be actuated by the speed responsive devices to cause the actuation of the audible alarm at the predetermined set speeds.

'14. In a device for the purpose described, a rotatable shaft, a centrifugal governor thereon, an alarm mechanism having frictional connection with the shaft for actuation thereby, a lock for holding the alarm mechanism against participation in the movements of the shaft, connections from the lock in position to be engaged by the governor at predetermined speeds to re lease the alarm, means for indicating visually the different predetermined speeds, a lock member for the visual means, an adjusting means controlled by the Visual means for determining the release of the lock at speeds corresponding to the visu-,

ally indicated speeds, manually operable means for locking and releasing the visual means at will, ill'lCllDdlCiltlHg means carried by the shaft in position to sweep over the manually operablemeans to prevent its actuation. when the device is in operation.

I5. In a device for the purpose described, speed responsive means, means for indicating a predetermined maximum speed, and a visible member constantly actuated by the speed responsive means and in osition to indicate to an observer that the evice is in operation.

16. In a device for the purpose described, a rotatable shaft, a centrifugal governor carried thereby, means controlled by the centrifugal governor for indicating an excess of redetermined speed, and a consta-nliy vlsible member carried by the shaft for indicating the operation of the shaft.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

HARRY C. DEULINGER, JOHN T. LAWRENCE. 

